{"id":30819,"date":"2016-10-16T14:14:50","date_gmt":"2016-10-16T14:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=30819"},"modified":"2016-10-16T14:14:50","modified_gmt":"2016-10-16T14:14:50","slug":"new-choir-boosts-singing-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2016\/10\/16\/new-choir-boosts-singing-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"New choir boosts singing confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Choir

Across south Wales, contemporary\u00a0choirs are singing louder than the old school hymns\u00a0and arias, it seems.<\/p>\n

Bobby Cole is a Swansea-based professional musician who\u00a0had a vision to \u201cget Wales singing.\u201d To stop the nation\u2019s legendary voices from fading, he\u00a0revamped the country\u2019s musical conventions by creating new choir Vocal Harmony \u2013 a Welsh choir with a twist.<\/p>\n

Uniquely, the\u00a0choir learns through call and\u00a0response rather than traditional score sheets. The particular line is sung, and a section repeats it until it\u2019s stuck in their heads: a great way to improve memory and brain power, believe psychologists.<\/p>\n

Audio expert and film music composer Bobby then records individual sections to CD\u2019s people can listen to in their car.<\/p>\n

The conductor of Cardiff\u2019s Vocal Harmony Izzy Thomas said the members enjoy the alternative and casual element of call and response. \u201cPeople haven\u2019t sung since school assemblies,\u201d said Izzy, 23. \u201cThey forget how their voices sound singing, so we steer away from the pressure of intimidating sheet music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Izzy, who studies a Music\u00a0MA a at Cardiff University, has noticed a massive increase in her choir\u2019s confidence since they began.\u00a0\u201cSingers are getting louder by the week!” she said,\u00a0adding more bass and alto are needed to balance with the booming sopranos.<\/p>\n

Swansea Vocal Harmony struck a chord with local singers of all ages when it began in 2012. Popularity soon expanded to Cardiff and Llanelli, and it now boasts 200 members across South Wales.Their repertoire includes songs from Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse and Stevie Wonder.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople in Wales love to sing,\u201d said Bobby, \u201cbut don\u2019t always love to sing the traditional choral music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardiff Vocal Harmony practice every Tuesday at 7:30 in Cardiff High School, Cyncoed, and are audition-free.<\/p>\n